Giving, Learning and Understanding.

Emotional growth has a lot to do with giving. Something important happens when you step outside of yourself in order to help someone else. 

 

Emotional growth also has a lot to do with being a good observer, with paying attention to other people's pains and needs. Observation leads you to noticing important things and this, at the same time, inspires you to take action. Then, when your action (even a tiny action) makes a difference in someone else's life, you grow a little, and you get to feel better about yourself as a person.

 

I am experiencing something like that right now, every morning, during the time that I spend in Diego's classroom. When I am there I feel that my mind is being taken to another level. All the superficial things disappear and I get in touch with what's really important. And when I get to interact with Diego and his classmates, I feel like I am participating in something special, not just for them, but for myself.

 

Each one of these children is unique, each one of them is special and each one struggles to fit into the world. But isn't this the case for all of us anyway? Aren't we all different? Aren't we all special? Don't we all struggle with something in life? Don't we all want to succeed?

 

Being in Diego's classroom is teaching me that we all have a lot in common, regardless of our age, gender, cultural background, race, religion and special needs. We're all human and we all need to be understood. The beautiful thing is that the better you understand other people the more you get to know yourself. Because giving is a two-way street: the more you give, the more you receive.

Comments

[Ana]

Muy bonito lo que dices, tus reflexiones en este tema. No sabes como te entiendo. Tengo en mi familia una persona especial y veo dia a dia la lucha de sus padres por su integracion.

[Ana]

Se me olvidaba decirte que las ilustraciones tienen tanta ternura y ademas me han arrancado una sonrisa, me encantan.

[margaret Oomen]

This is so well written and illustrated Elsa. It is something I put into practice in my work everyday but I would never have been able to articulate it in this magical way.
Have a great week at school and please stay healthy with all the influenzae in the south west.

[Nancy Gage]

Elsa, your words (and lovely illustrations) are just perfect for me this morning as I prepare to go volunteer in my grandson's classroom. Time always disappears when I am there because I am outside of my own interior monologue and paying attention to the children. Paying attention, being present, observing--it's absolutely true, I can feel myself grow. Beauty abounds when we open our eyes!

[Donna]

Once again you did a magnificent job of putting this thought in words and pictures. It is something we often don't stop to really think about, but it is so much more that we receive when we stop and pay attention in helping someone else and look at why life really is. Thank you for a great Monday morning start.

[kirsten]

So beautifully expressed, and with illustrations that are every bit as poignant. This is one of life's most important truths, one that I try to instill in our family as well. I would like to print these out and share them with my girls.

xo,

K

[Janet M]

Amen!!! Beautifully put.

[Alexander Dyle]

'Emotional growth also has a lot to do with being a good observer, with paying attention to other people's pains and needs.'

How true. That is almost exactly how the late Polish director Kieslowski would have phrased it.

[colleen (bcharmer)]

AMEN.

[amanda]

Elsa - you are beautiful. xox

[Gina Purlia Johnson]

So beautiful! Elsita, you should write a book of philosophy complete with your wonderful illustrations. You are wise beyond your years....thank you.....

[michelle]

so fantastic...so true...i am so thankful for your words.

[Snippety Gibbet]

I thought about your little fellow as I was teaching today. One of my art students is a second grader with autism. By far, he is the most talented art student out of the 100 second graders I teach. Today at the end of class, I held up each drawing and the students clapped for each other. When I held up the piece done my little art star, there were loud cheers and wild applause...and it was genuine. My art star was beaming. jan

[melissa]

so beautifully written, elsa. thank you! x

[carmen]

Beautiful!!

[Zee]

Amen, you are very right!

[Kris]

Can I print one of your pictures? I am a teacher and you put into words what I feel so much every day. Thank you! Let me know about the pictures, I love the one with you(?) looking at the children with the connections and question marks......brilliant!

[Elizabeth]

What a beautiful post Elsita. Your illustrations are right on the dot. It's just the way I feel each week when I voluteer to learn kids taekwondo. Each kid is different and learns with their body in their own pace. A beautiful thing to do and to see the growth in them.

Thank you for you wonderful illustrations and words.
Have a great weekend.

xox Elizabeth

[Sandra]

Oh dear Elsa I am so happy that I found your blog, and what I just read was something that everyone should try and understand. We are all individuals and we all feed on love, but if there is no giving there is no receiving and vice versa. One should try to equally give and equally receive, it has to work both ways otherwise someone is at loss.It is a great struggle in this world to stay an individual and not be flooded and drowned with public, collective or mass opinion. Give your son a kiss from me, and he is very lucky to have such loving mom. Kisses to you from me!

Oh I almost forgot..... your work is so beautiful, peacful and soft! I am in love with it and also inspired. Have a nice day!

[elizabeth ~ so wabi sabi]

I appreciated reading this today...I also assist with my son's preschool and it has been troubling me to see how some children (including my own son) "struggle to fit into the world". Your lovely pictures and words helped me see that this is an important part of nearly every child's journey and mine own as well.
blessings~

[onegoldensun]

Beautiful self discoveries. Thank you for sharing!

[garden mind]

Try to be a better observer myself in my life.

[penny auctions reviews]

The pictures are vvvery beautiful~